


Letter Number 5

by Pooky1234



Category: Doctor Who, Torchwood
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-04
Updated: 2011-05-04
Packaged: 2017-10-19 00:22:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/194843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pooky1234/pseuds/Pooky1234
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary: Written for redisourcolour challenge: Doctor Who crossover over on livejournal.   After watching the first two episodes of series 6 I am totally in love with Canton. I started to write this before the challenge and changed it to accommodate the words and phrase. It is set around 1960. Jack receives letter number 5.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Letter Number 5

Letter number 5

Canton Everett Delaware III sat at the other end of the diner watching his target. He’d positioned himself in a booth at the back so that he could see both the door to the outside and to the restroom. ‘Widest field of vision equalled widest range of fire,’ they’d taught him at Quantico when he’d joined the FBI, straight from college, after finishing his Master’s degree in criminology. He’d been headhunted; one day he’d been sat in a local bar trying to forget his latest romantic disaster by drowning his sorrows in beer, when a man had sat on the chair opposite and pushed a calling card across the table towards him. Canton had picked up the card and twirled it between his fingers before reading it.

‘Okay, your name is Elliot Grant. What do you want; I’m busy here.’ He swallowed another mouthful of his beer. ‘And what’s with the sunglasses; did you not notice that it’s raining.’

‘You’re Canton Delaware, aren’t you? We have an offer for you. We’d like you to join our organisation; you’ve been recommended.’

‘Look, what’s going on here? Who are you and what organisation? You sound like you’re recruiting for the CIA. You’re not are you,’ he asked incredulously. ‘Anyway, I have a job lined up when I leave with the DA’s office in Boston.’

‘I think I can promise you a much more interesting and challenging role than the one you have in mind, Delaware. Be at this place at 8 sharp tomorrow morning. If you’re the sort of man we hope you are, you’ll be there.’

With that Grant pushed a note across the table and moved out of the booth.  
‘Oh and Delaware, don’t drink too much; you’re going to need a clear head tomorrow.’

Canton watched as the man in the black suit walked out of the bar. He put the card and the note in his pocket and swallowed the rest of his beer before walking back to his room.

The next day he’d turned up at the designated building along with twenty others. A year later and here he was on assignment for the FBI, tracking some Brit called Captain Jack Harkness. His information was that Harkness worked for some covert organisation called Torchwood and that his bosses wanted to know what he was doing in the US. His name had been tagged as soon as he’d landed in New York. There were all sorts of rumours about the activities of Torchwood and his boss had told him to follow discreetly and check who Harkness was meeting with. The Brit had checked into the hotel next door and asked where he could get something for breakfast. The clerk had directed him to the diner next door.

The moment Harkness entered the diner every eye in the place had turned to look at him and Canton’s heart had missed a beat; in fact it had probably missed several. Harkness was well over six foot tall with wide shoulders and narrower hips. He had dark hair and blue eyes which danced around the room. From the moment he flashed his smile at the waitress, Canton Delaware knew that he was in trouble.

He’d always known that he liked men not women. He’d had a few disastrous attempts with the fairer sex in his years at college. He’d even got as far as getting engaged but she’d called it off on the night he’d met Elliot Grant in the bar. There had been a few fumbling encounters in dark places but in reality, aged 25, Canton was still effectively a virgin. It was not something he talked about at work. He just joined in with the general banter about this film star or that one, letting his colleagues think that he was just like them. It was a lonely life so he’d thrown himself into his work. He’d sailed through his training, finishing top of his class. After a year of service he’d begun to rise through the ranks and been posted to New York. He was described as a natural. His black suit, white shirt and black tie had become like a second skin.

He watched as Harkness charmed the waitress serving him. It was strange, Canton had been informed that the man was British, but surely that accent was American. That outfit, especially the coat, suggested that Harkness had once been in the RAF. He had orders to follow the man. He sipped his coffee trying to look inconspicuous. Without warning Harkness got up from his seat. Canton watched him go into the restroom at the back of the diner. ‘Did he follow him?’ he wondered. He had to admit that the idea of standing next to him in there and comparing was tempting. His mind drifted for a moment imagining Harkness stood in front of him whilst Canton was on his knees ……

Abruptly he was brought back to reality when the man himself slipped into the seat opposite him, rather than returning to his own. The waitress brought food and coffee and put it in front of Harkness. Canton realised that he’d said nothing. He opened his mouth but found he had no idea what to say. Harkness watched the waitress leave and then turned to face the man in black.

‘Look, we both know what’s happening here. I saw you watching me earlier. My name is Harkness, Captain Jack Harkness but I’m sure you know that already. I have to say that the FBI make it very easy to spot its members. Men in black, with sunglasses, really! Well, I suppose it’s a look. I have to say that it suits you.’

‘You can talk Harkness, wearing that coat. Are you really a Captain?’

‘I’ll have you know that I earned these stripes,’ Jack said without malice. ‘So you know who I am and what I represent. No doubt you’ve been told to watch me and see who I’m meeting. Truth is Canton Everett Delaware III I’m here to meet you. I received this letter.’

Jack took out a blue envelope with a date, time and place. ‘I was told to give you a message. We need to talk but I don’t want to do that here. My hotel is next door. Why don’t you meet me there in 30 minutes?’ Jack pushed the key towards Canton. ‘That’ll give you time to search the room before I arrive so you know that I’m on the level.’

Canton took the key. For some reason he wanted to trust this man. Jack smiled at him and Canton felt the blood begin to rush south. He needed to get out of there quickly.

‘Thirty minutes,’ he growled as he left.

Captain Jack Harkness leant back in his seat, having finished off his coffee. He looked at the message once more. He knew why the letter had come directly to him. The man it was from was enemy number 1 for the organisation he worked for but not for Jack. He wondered about the number 5 written on the back. No doubt there was some explanation.

A little while later Jack pushed open the door to his hotel room. Canton was sat on the end of the bed facing him. Three strides and Jack reached him. Neither of them spoke as Jack reached for his belt buckle. Canton put a hand on his and took over unbuckling the belt and then undoing the buttons of his trousers. Canton gasped as he pulled out the other man’s cock. A few strokes later and Jack was fully erect. Canton looked up at the beautiful man in front of him.

‘I’ve not done this much before,’ he said.

‘Better get some practice in then,’ Jack replied. ‘You know how to suck don’t you; you just put your lips around it and …….’

It wasn’t the most expert blow job Jack had ever received but what he lacked in quality the FBI man made up for with enthusiasm. By this stage Canton’s other hand was in his own pants rubbing furiously.

‘How did you know?’ Canton asked some time later.

‘Call it instinct,’ Jack said. ‘Or the way you looked at me as if I was a candy bar you wanted to swallow whole!’ He laughed. ‘It can’t be easy for you in this day and age, fancying men and being in the FBI as well.’

‘No different for you in England; its illegal there as well isn’t it!’ Canton declared.

‘Yeah, but, well, I somehow manage to get round it!’

‘D’you think it’ll ever be legal?’ Canton asked. ‘That men like us won’t have to sneak around just so we can do this.’ he reached over and kissed Jack tenderly. ‘Something as simple as a kiss could get both of us thrown in jail.’

‘It won’t always be like this,’ Jack replied. ‘One day things will change.’

‘You sound so certain. I can’t see the US changing its laws and accepting that love comes in many different forms. The Bible says that homosexuality is wrong and that dogma is followed to the letter here. Hell, in some states they don’t even accept evolution!’

‘Everything changes, Canton and sometimes for the better!’ Jack explained.

‘You said you had a message for me,’ Canton said. ‘How and why? I don’t get it.’

‘No, me neither but I know it’s important.’ Jack took out the blue envelope. The colour had struck him as soon as he’d received it; it was TARDIS blue. Although he didn’t say so, he knew it was from the Doctor. The Timelord obviously knew where he was and that hurt, but it could be from any Doctor, not necessarily his.

‘The message is from someone important. He’s been saving the world for centuries. His name is the Doctor.’

‘What does he want from me?’ Canton asked.

‘Simple really. He says that in 1969 the President will ask for your help in the White House. You will meet a man, dressed in a tweed jacket and bow tie, who will ask you for 5 minutes. He asks that you persuade the President to give him those minutes. He’ll be with three other people, two women and a man. He’ll call them legs, nose and Mrs Robinson. He also says that one day you’ll be able to get married. That’s it. If he says the world depends on it he means it. So what are you going to do, Canton? As Shakespeare once said ‘there is a tide in the affairs of men which taken at the flood leads onto fortune’. Are you prepared to take a risk on a man you’ve never met before who simply comes waltzing into your life no matter how incommodious that might be?’

Canton looked at Jack with some sadness in his eyes, but also with some hope.

‘I wish we had time to get to know each other more, Captain. I can see you mean what you say. I’ll file my report but I suggest you leave on the next flight out of here. For some reason I’m prepared to ignore my orders and believe in you. It’s been interesting and enlightening.’ Jack reached his hand around the back of Canton’s head and pulled him in for one last lingering kiss.

‘You really are something, Jack Harkness,’ Canton observed.

‘You’re not the first to say that and you won’t be the last. I can honestly say that I’m one of a kind!’ Jack winked as he spoke.

‘Probably just as well; I’m not sure that the world is big enough for two of you.’

Canton had one hand on the door as he turned back. ‘Bye, Jack it’s been an experience!’

‘Canton, one more thing; the Doctor said to give you this. Open it when you’re back in your car.’

Ten minutes later Canton opened the envelope. Inside there was a photograph of two older men in suits covered in confetti; both had red roses in their lapels. Canton could see that one of the men was him, some time in the future but he didn’t recognise the other man. They were holding hands and smiling broadly. He turned over the photo.

‘Finally, love conquers all,’ was written on the back. He put the photograph back in the envelope and smiled to himself.

Seven years later Canton walked into the White House to begin his new role as part of the security team. He’d been given the name of the person he had to report to. He pushed open the office door and looked at the man behind the desk. He stopped breathing and felt the world turn. Facing him was the man in the picture he’d been given seven years ago. Here was the man that sometime in the future Canton was going to marry.

**Author's Note:**

> This story continues in the Canton Chronicles.


End file.
